“He’s just a type of kid that you would want in your program,” St. Frances coach Messay Hailemariam said. “Not only is he unbelievable on the field, but he’s a better person off the field in terms of his high character, his work ethic and his ability and desires to want to succeed.”

Egbuaba, 6 feet 1 and 216 pounds, had 19 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 105 total tackles for St. Frances last season. An unranked prospect, he has not yet been evaluated by Rivals.com or 247Sports.com.

Egbuaba also considered Connecticut, Virginia, Stony Brook and Penn State, but in the end, he decided on Maryland.

Hailemariam, who has been coaching for close to 15 years and worked with a number of NFL-level players, said Egbuaba stands out to him.

“I haven’t seen one in a long time like that,” he said.

Hailemariam described Egbuaba as a simple player, but one with the ability to play at a high level with great intensity, comparing him to former NFL defensive stars Shawne Merriman (Maryland) and LaVar Arrington.

Egbuaba joins a Maryland class with 16 commitments in the Class of 2014. Stafford (Va.) cornerback prospect Daniel Ezeagwu also reportedly committed to coach Randy Edsall and the Terps this weekend.

For more on Egbuaba and Ezeagwu, check back later as national signing day approaches.